Circassia completes cat allergy trial enrollment

Circassia, a UK specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on allergy and critical care, has completed patient recruitment for a Phase II  trial with its ToleroMune technology in the treatment of cat allergy.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study is comparing  several different ToleroMune treatment regimens, each with standardized  doses administered over several weeks. This is in sharp contrast to most  current allergy immunotherapies, which can require carefully titrated  dosing over many months and even years. As part of the ongoing study,  each patient is exposed to cat allergens in a controlled environmental  exposure chamber, both before and after receiving the study treatment.  The volunteers will monitor and record their allergic rhinitis symptoms  to allow investigators to assess the effect of the treatment. Circassia  anticipates completing patient dosing in the next three months, with  follow-up post-treatment visits completed by the end of April.

"We are delighted that this trial is making such rapid progress as it  should define the optimal treatment approach for our ToleroMune cat  allergy therapy as it moves towards Phase III testing," said chief  executive Steve Harris. "We are commited to introducing our ToleroMune  treatment for cat allergy as quickly as possible because, despite its  prevalence, the condition is poorly served by existing therapies due to  their aggressive side effect profile. ToleroMune offers allergists and  their patients significant potential benefits. In particular, ToleroMune  should greatly simplify and shorten allergy therapy, while minimizing  the risk of the serious and even life-threatening adverse reactions that  are associated with current desensitization treatments," he added.